Connecting air conditioning coolant lines on aircraft poses significant difficulty. In non-aircraft applications, air conditioning coolant lines are typically fabricated from copper and aluminum, and thus, such aircraft coolant lines are commonly welded together. However, air conditioning coolant lines on aircraft cannot be welded on an aircraft due to the risk of fire or explosion. Furthermore, installation and connection of air conditioning coolant lines is difficult due to the tight spaces that are provided to such coolant lines on aircraft.
Typically, air-conditioning coolant lines require sealed couplings and fittings which require tightening with various tools. However, the tight spaces provided on aircraft make it difficult for the installers to tighten such couplings and fittings with their tools. Although flares or fittings are useful for similar applications, they have proven ineffective for aircraft cooling systems due to the leaking of such flares and fittings caused by small molecules provided in the coolant.
It would be desirable to provide an apparatus for connecting air conditioning coolant lines on an aircraft that does not require tightening through the use of tools. It would also be desirable to provide an apparatus for connecting air conditioning coolant lines on an aircraft that was not susceptible to leaking.